Method and apparatus for launching marine vessel



Jan. 17, 1956 R. G. PARKER 2,730,864

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING MARINE VESSEL Filed NOV. 19. 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet l Lilie A @Lil/u? MmiZa/lDrCz/Jliar INVENTOR E@ Granville Pmfa:

Manila/ Haulzq R. G. PARKER 2,730,864

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING MARINE VESSEL Jan. 17, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 19. 1952 INVENTOR ATTORNEY SN@ ENRE MN MJ METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING MARINE VESSEL Filed NOV. 19. 1952 R. G. PARKER Jan. 17, 1956 5` Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR E@ Granvill Par' J:

R. G. PARKER Jan. 17, 1956 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING MARINE VESSEL Filed Nov. 19, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR 15?@ @raul/lle .Parken QQ/f@ R. G. PARKER Jan. 17, 1956 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING MARINE VESSEL Filed NGV. 19. 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 i INVENTOR Rig; ralzvyz'lle Panker 3 by the rollers is no longer sufcient to move the scow. This is due to the relatively flat angle of the hull in this position. Further travel down the ways increases this angle such that, at some point before the inshore dollies 12 are stopped, gravity will take charge and the scow would launch itself if released. To provide this propelling force, a weight 17 is suspended outshore from the roller support pile by a steel wire rope 13 through a single block, then over a sheave 19 on this support and thence back to and made fast to a girder 20 bolted to the inshore faces of the dollies 12. The pull from this line has to be at all times at least equal to the ditference between the force of friction preventing rolling and the downward component of the barge.

A means of restraining the scow is required to prevent it from launching prematurely. If the scow were to start rolling before the inshore trucks were far enough down the way, its inshore end would roll off the inshore rollers beforethe center of gravity passed over the outshore rollers so that it would pivot inshore and drop inboard to the ground without launching. To provide this restraint, a large steel wire rope 21 is attached on the outshore end of the scow and thence under it to a releasing trigger 27 mounted on the girder 20 between the inshore pair of dollies 12. This is a single pendant attached to a bridle from the port and starboard bitts on deck. This restraining line is secured ashore through the releasing trigger 27 by a tive part steel wire rope tackle as indicated in Figure 1. The fixed block of this tackle is secured at the head of the ways by a steel wire rope pendant 22 and the moving part 23 is led through a sheave to a winch at the head of the ways. This winch controls, by power lowering or hand brake, the lowering operation until the scow is released. To prevent the restraining line 21 from dropping and hanging loose under the scow after release, a manila preventor line 24 is secured to it and to the inshore end centerline cleat on deck. At the points of travel between those shown in Figures 2a and 2b, the propelling force is acting on the inshore dollies 12 and not Vdirectly on the scow. If, for any reason, friction should become excessive on the roller support at this time, it would be possible to pull the dollies down the ways without moving the scow, the dollies merely rolling under the hull. To prevent this from ever happening, the manila hauling lines 25 are installed, rigged from the inshore dollies around bitts on the deck. To prevent the outshore dollies 13 from freely rolling down the sharp ineline of the track 14 and forcibly hitting the stops provided, manila connecting lines 26 are rigged between the outshore and inshore dollies. This permits the outshore dollies to contact their stops at the restrained Velocity of the lowering operation.

The details of the launching operation are as follows: assuming the rigging as shown in Figure l. is already completed. The scow is raised by the dollies about 3 inches. The upper two tiers of the outboard cribs (shown in Figure 3, position 4) are removed to provide necessary clearance for the travel down the incline. The winch operator starts the operation by lowering away against power. The propelling weight moves the scow down the incline until, first, it makes contact with the roller support, then the outshore dollies release their load and the scow continues until it reaches the releasing position. The winchman then stops the scow and secures the winch. Next, the manila hauling lines are removed, the trigger safety pins are pulled and the trigger is released. The scow then proceeds to launch itself as previously described and indicated by Figures 2b, c and d. The operation from the time the scow is lifted until it is waterborne takes possibly five minutes. The rigging is so designed that no one will be required aboard during the launching. A tuig awaits the scow and puts a line aboard immediately it is waterborne to prevent it from drifting.

The outshore roller assembly 15 shown in detail in Figures 5 and 6. A series of four rollers 28 are mounted in slides 29. A series of rollers rather than a single roller is desirable in order to reduce local pressure on the hull of the scow. These rollers pivot about a common center point 30 so that all rollers maintain contact with the hull at all times. For free sliding a brass shoe 31 is provided on the circumference of the track 32. The initial position of the slide prior to launching is at rest against an inboard stop, with the line of rollers inclined inshore about 5 degrees off the horizontal. The barge, therefore, first contacts the outshore rollers and rotates the set about the slide until all rollers are in contact. The series of four parallel rollers has the added advantage of providing a certain amount of directional stability to the hull when it rolls after pivoting. The rollers are lS inches wide and are composed of 8 inch extra strong pipe with brass bearing bushings pressed into the ends. Instead of rollers it would be perfectly feasible to use a wooden saddle block of suitable form and which would be of sutable bearing area and could be well greased.

As a means of positively maintaining alignment and preventing any tendency of the hull to roll from a fore and aft line, vertical timbers 33 are secured to the bulkhead at the end of the shipway on each side of the production line.Y These uprights are placed with about 6 inches of clearance each side of the scows and are suiiiciently high to cover the lower fender on the scow side. The timbers are greased and in the event the scow should move laterally, the side fenders would merely slide on the' guides.

The inshore rollers 34, Figs. 9 and l0, mounted on the inshore dolly trucks 12 carry only half the maximum load of the roller assembly 15, hence two rollers in lieu of four per set are adequate. However, since the angle of the dolly truck relative to the bottom of the hull changes during the travel down the incline, as can be seen by Figures 2b and 2c, it is necessary that this set of rollers pivot through a few degrees to insure contact and equalize loadings on the two rollers. This is accomplished by mounting them both on a vertical plate 35, which in turn is merely restrained by the spaced vertical flat bars 37 but free to pivot at the round base 36, welded to plate 35, on the platform top. To insure equalized loading on the two pairs of rollers, a flexible hydraulic communication line is installed between the hydraulic systems of the two inshore dolly trucks.

Since there is fore and aft angular relative motion between the outshore dolly platforms and the bottom of the hull, transverse wood blocking, well rounded at the top, is used to support the scow under the transverse bulkhead for the launching operation.

A quick release trigger 27 (Figures 7 and 8) is necessary, also a means of attaching it to the inshore dollies 12 and of attaching a restraining line to this trigger. To accomplish this, a heavy steel girder 20 is bolted across the inshore face of these dollies. This girder assures movement together as desired of the two inshore dollies. For safety reasons workmen are not permitted under the scow at or after the time of release. To accomplish this, operation of the trigger is designed for remote control. The trigger is composed of two overlapping leaves as shown in Figure 8. A thimble spliced into the end of the releasing line 21 (shown as restraining line in Fig. l) is hooked over the trigger finger 38. The intermediate leaf 39 merely changes the direction of motion. The cam on the upper end of this leaf bears against the plunger of an hydraulic jack 40. A flexible hydraulic line sufficiently long to extend out from under the hull is provided between the jack and a portable hand pump. A releasing valve on the pump permits the oil to drain back to the pump sump. A pendant safety pin 42 is provided to positively prevent any possible unhooking of the releasing line before release time. Safety pin 43 is provided to take the full load of the trigger in the event of any hydraulic failure to the system. In operation, the Vjack plunger is merely put into position and the releasing valve closed. Pressure automatically builds up in the system as load comes on the trigger, applied by the releasing line. By this `method there is never any force on the safety pins `so they may be pulled with ease. The restraining tackle is `secured to the trigger by means of links 44. The propelling line 18 is attached to a connection 45 on thetunder side of the girder. After pulling safety pins 42 and `43,` the trigger is tripped by opening the releasingvalve on the pump, which permits the two trigger leaves to rotate until their overlapping ends separate and thus release the releasing line 21.

All launchings `in an extensive program have proven highly satisfactory, in alllof these launchings the method shown anddescribed hasA been used and no basic change of any sort fhas b een `necessary from the original design. The production line, `as, such, s not unique but the launching is believed to be quitediiferent from anything previously tried for a vessel of this size. It is to be understood, however, that even though there is herewith shown and `described a preferred embodiment of the invention the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the `spirit of the invention as herein described andthe scope of the appended claims.

l.` Amethod of launching a marine vessel comprising advancing said vessel longitudinally from a production line to a roller support adjacent a body of water and sliding "said scow` forward until its center of` gravity is beyond said support causing the vessel to pivot and plunge forward untilitdrops into the water.

2. A method of launching a marine vessel from a production line comprising `successively moving said vessel tram its @ribbing tamovabl dolly trucks to a `roller support about which it pivots forward and drops into the water when the vessel reaches a position where its center of gravity is on the outshore side of said roller support.

3. A method of launching a marine vessel comprising mounting the vessed on movable dolly trucks traveling upon tracks conveying the trucks with the vessel mounted thereon to a sliding support above a body of water, moving the vessel longitudinally forward on said sliding support to a position where the center of gravity of said vessel is on the outshore side of the support thus pivoting the vessel forward and causing it to plunge into the water. t

4. A method of launching a marine vessel comprising mounting the vessel on inshore and outshore dolly trucks traveling upon tracks, conveying said vessel upon said trucks to a roller support above a body of water, continuing the forward motion of the vessel to transfer the load from the outshore dolly trucks to said roller support, and further continuing said forward movement until the center of gravity of the vessel has passed the support thus raising the vessel from the inshore dolly trucks and causing said vessel to launch itself by plunging forward into the water.

5. A method of launching a marine vessel comprising mounting the vessel on inshore and outshore movable dolly trucks traveling upon tracks, conveying said vessel upon said trucks to a roller support above a body of water, said tracks having a sharp downward incline adjacent the body of water to permit the load carried by the outshore dolly trucks to be transferred to the roller support, continuing the forward movement of the vessel to bring the vessel to a position where it will pivot about said roller support, lift from the inshore dolly trucks and plunge forward to drop into the water.

6. A method of launching a marine vessel comprising slidingly supporting the inshore end of said vessel upon a pair of dolly trucks and non-slidingly supporting the outshore end upon a second pair of dolly trucks, propelling said vessel forward upon said trucks by means of a tackle with suspended weight, transferring the load from the dolly trucks to a trunnion above a body of water but at a lower level than the dolly supports from which trunnion the vessel is self-launched by over-balancing.

7. A method of launching a marine vessel comprising providing a support for such vessel over a body of water, mounting the vessel on a pair of longitudinally spaced dollies inshore of said support, securing thevessel to `the innermost dolly, moving the dollies forward until the forward end of the vessel overhangs said support, transferring the forward end of the vessel onto said support, releasing the vessel from the innermost dolly and propelling the vessel forwardly until its center of gravity lies beyond said support.

8. A method of launching a marine vessel comprising providing a supportfor such vessel over abody of water, mounting the vessel on a pair of longitudinally spaced dollies inshore of said support, securing the vessel to the innermost dolly, moving the dollies forward until the forward end of the vessel overhangs said support, transferring the forward end of the vessel onto said support by lowering the outermost dolly, releasing the vessel from the innermost dolly, and propelling the vessel forwardly until its center of gravity lies beyond said support.

9; A method of launching a marine vessel which comprises providing a support over a body of water, mounting the vessel upon a pair of dollies movable towards said support, securing the vessel to the rear dolly, moving said dollies and the vessel thereon towards said support until the forward end of said vessel overlies said support, continuing to move said dollies and the vessel thereon towards said support while simultaneously lowering the forward dolly until it becomes disengaged from said vessel and the forward end of the-vessel rests upon said support, releasing the vessel from the rear dolly, and sliding the vessel over the reardolly and the support until its center of gravity lies beyond the support.

l0. Apparatus for launching a marine vessel comprising a support for such vessel located over a body of water, track means leading towards said support from a location inshore of said support, said track means descending towards said support at its outshore end, and pair of spaced dollies on said track means having vessel receiving upper surfaces located at a level above said support, means connecting said dollies, means for moving said dollies toward said support whereby the forward end of a vessel thereon may be brought to rest upon said support as said dollies move toward said support and the outer dolly traverses said descending track portion, means for releasably securing said vessel to said dollies and means for further moving such vessel towards said support upon the release of said securing means, until the center of gravity of such vessel lies beyond the support.

1l. Apparatus for launching a marine vessel compris` ing a support for such vessel located above a body of water, a pair of longitudinally spaced dollies inshore of said support for receiving said vessel, means for securing said vessel to one of said dollies, means for moving said dollies toward said support while simultaneously lowering the outermost dolly to permit the forward end of the vessel to rest upon said support, means for disengaging the vessel from the dollies while moving said vessel forward until its center of gravity lies beyond said support.

l2. Means for launching a marine vessel comprising inshore and outshore dolly trucks mounted upon tracks having a sharp incline outshore, propelling means for the inshore dolly trucks comprising a tackle with suspended weight, lines from the vessel to said inshore dolly trucks, dolly connecting line, a release trigger for said lines and a support adjacent the water.

i3. Apparatus for launching a marine vessel comprising inshore and outshore dollies having upper surfaces for receiving a marine vessel, a track for said dollies having a downwardly inclined outshore end adjacent a body of water, a fulcrum support at the outshore end of said track above the level of the truck but below the level of said vessel receiving upper surfaces of said dollies, means connecting said dollies, means for releasably securing a vessel to said inshore dolly, means for propelling `said dollies towards said fulcrum support until the forward end of the vessel rests upon said support and the 14. Apparatus for launching a marine vessel compris- .ing a body having an outer surface constituting a portion of a cylinder, a framework mounted on said body having a similarly curved surface adapted for sliding movement over said cylindrical surface and means on said framework for receiving a marine'vessel.

V15. Apparatus for launching a marine vessel comprising a body having an outer surface constituting a portion of a cylinder, a framework mounted on said body for sliding movement over said cylindrical surface, and a plurality of load receiving rollers mounted in said frame- -work with their axes coplanar and extending parallel to the axis of said cylindrical surface.

16. A fulcrum for supporting a body comprising a pair of spaced frames, an upwardly curved track on each frame, Va pair of supports each having similarly curved surfaces engaging. said tracks and adapted for movement thereover, a frame carried by said supports, and a body supporting means mounted on said supports.

17. A fulcrum for supporting a body comprising a pair of spaced frames, an upwardly curved track on each frame, a pair of supports each having similarly curved surfaces engaging said tracks, a frame carried by said supports, and a body supporting means mounted on said supports, said body supporting means comprising a plurality of rollers.

18. A launching device for a marine vessel comprising Y a framework located adjacent a body of water, a'pair of laterally spaced tracks curving upwardly, outwardly and then downwardlyl in an arc of Va circle from said framework` and overhanging said body of water, a `carriage mounted on said tracks Yfor sliding engagement therewith throughout a path defined by said arcs and a plurality of rollers mounted on said carriage for receiving a marine vessel. l f

19. Means for supporting a body comprising a framework, a support pivotally mounted in saidV framework on a horizontal axis and extending above said framework, body receiving meansmounted on said support and extending transversely on each side of said axis; arms secured to the upper end of said support and aV pair of rollers mounted in said arms withy their axes parallelnto said first mentioned axis and on opposite sides offa plane ,extending vertically therethrough.

20. Means for releasably securing a load comprising a framework, a pairof levers pivotally mounted intermediate their ends 'on parallel axes in said framework with their inner ends overlapping, load receiving means at the outer end of the lirst of said levers, a member at the outer end of the second lever for resisting rotation of said lever as a result of a load upon the load receiving means of the first lever, and Vmeans for slowly withdrawing said member whereby said second lever may rotate until said overlapping ends separate and the load is released.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,283,744 Haalck Nov. 5, 1918 

